greydos

Why would Berbatov come here? His mum said he was a Toon fan cos of Shearer...promise him the no. 9 shirt an he could think about it. Anyway, my question was more intended 'assuming he wanted to come would you take a straight swap?' (you meaning anyone)

Straight swap Owen for Berbatov would you take it? I definitely would

Staggered payments for players is often how clubs sign people. What's the problem with having money outstanding on players we bought?

I'll kick it off... Arteta is a right winger, and probably the best one!! Even left wing he's better than bloody kranjcar, young, and the unproven Guti and Modric (in this league). Cahil's a midfielder who scores more goals than most of those he's up against, never mind assists. Carew and Viduka better than Yakubu Milner better than 2 people?

It's interesting you say that as i watched the last 10 games of last season and clearly witnessed barton getting down the left wing as much as he could, and similarly geremi was always getting out to the right touchline to help Beye. Tell me it wasn't so? In which case Guthrie can't play in that right of 3 central midfield position if you ask me (which i know nobody did but still )

After a couple of pre-season games? Yes that's my impression after a couple of games. If he does even better i'll revise my opinion. If he does worse i'll do likewise. What, i'm not allowed to draw comparisons until he's played 50 games for us or something am i?

His positional sense was what impressed me. That and his recovery ability. He doesn't seem the most dominant coming onto the ball heading at the moment, and he's not dynamite with the ball at his feet. But his open play positioning is already better than Tayls and Faye i would say.

with the 3rd biggest crowd and support in the country, and 14th /15th turnover [something like that] in europe ? We won't mention who created that but I'm sorry but punching that weight is what you should be expecting. http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/index.php?topic=36320.msg712421#msg712421 http://www.newcastle-online.com/nufcforum/index.php?topic=36320.msg714507#msg714507 Yeah but most of what I posted there about the transfers we are targetting are a cut and paste job on your opinions from 18 months ago. Why the change of heart? mackems.gif Look for posts where I've said that when they have proved real ambition I won't criticise the odd mishap ...... I've said it often. When they have proved real ambition, then fair enough. I'm not getting carried away by one [hopefully good] signing, unlike others. I can't be arsed to look for it though I'll let you do that as you seem so inclined. This is a direct reply by the way, which is more than most people make. I notice nobody is admitting that they called such signings in the past "trophy signings". Why the change of heart ? You've answered / replied to nothing tbf. Nice try at wriggling out though I spotted that post the a couple of days ago when you said you've never been this unhappy in recent memory. I asked you if you were less happy now than 18 months ago, & when you avoided the question I decided to look for your opinions at the time for myself. Just goes to show that when it comes to most of your opinions, it the person making the decision that counts rather than the decision they're making that matters. Exactly what you accuse others of. Like I said, you're wrong. Ashley will win me over when he proves real ambition, one signing doesn't do that, I'm talking real ambition, which must be higher than yours. In the meantime, I've renewed my season ticket for the next 3 years so I'm obviously more unhappy than a lot of other people. Still no answer though. And seeing as you keep banging on about it, I've renewed for 3 years upfront as well, just I don't see how its relevant to what I've asked you above. Perhaps you should read your posts I've linked to then try and answer why what was acceptable then is less acceptable now. I'll not hold my breath though. because they had proved their ambition. Simple as that. If you don't buy a ticket you won't win the raffle. And attempting to succeed and not quite getting to what you hoped for is a lot more acceptable than not attempting it at all. The situation you talk about 18 months ago still stands, so why shouldn't the reasons you mentioned then still stand? They were no longer showing any ambition 18 months ago, surely any fool can see that? Its all very well harping on about the Champions League placings they did achieve (and fair play to them for that) but when they left we were miles away from that happening again. Even you can acknowledge that? Basic fundamental number 1 requirement for a board. Back your manager, punch your weight in the transfer market. Will always stand a better chance of succeeding than a board that doesn't back their manager, and doesn't punch their weight in the transfer market. That is the basis of the point I've made since day 1. As long as they back their manager, they stood a chance of getting back among the top clubs. That means buying more than one player. Whatever the quotes say that you've found, and I repeat when Ashley has shown ambition to punch the clubs weight [which is all I'm asking for him] he'll get the same acceptance of the odd mishap that the old lot did, thats my point, and I'm sticking to it. I would put appointing the right manager a long way above that to be honest. On the second point, would you say trying to sign players like Modric, Woodgate and Colocinni shows ambition? Gordon Lee was a good appointment. So was Arthur Cox. Both pissed off [to Everton and bloody Derby - bigger club ?] because the board was s****, both underachieved at Newcastle. You will know Cox was mate , not so sure about Lee. Both those managers with a board that backed them would have done better, a lot lot better, and wouldn't have left either. Agreed.........but I don't really see any relevance to this point. Do you think Shepherd did the right thing backing Souness to the tune of £50M. And how about Ridsdale at Leeds, would you say he carried out the basic fundamental number 1 requirement when backing O'Leary? What's Ridsdale and O'Leary got to do with anything? As far as i'm aware Newcastle didn't get a) relegated, b) bankrupt and c) left for dirt in the third english division. All this talk of financial difficulty for Newcastle is unsubstantiated. Disseminated by a new board who were eager to get people on side, and could offer an opinion on something nobody else could prove. I wonder, if we really were so close to folding like a financial tonne of bricks, why was Shepherd and co so keen to hang around and fight off all the other takeover bids? Any seriously self-interested financially minded person (which the last regime clearly were, the amount they benefitted from the club in various ways) would have been out in the proverbial flash!

I agree with NE5. The phrase 'trophy signing' is stupid with negative connotations. We should be spending good money to bring in players who have the best chance of making us better than other clubs around us. Simple as that really. The Old Board went all out to get players their managers wanted (on the whole, bar Souness' claims and rumours Shepherd told SBR he couldn't have Seiteridis or Miguel but Carr instead as he's cheaper). The evidence on the New Board is so far inconclusive. I think it comes down to a fine line decision to make: do you spend slightly recklessly to get a player in, knowing your manager wants him and says he can bring success or do you miss out on a player and keep a weak squad/team as you don't want to be held to ransom, ensuring you won't achieve much and may get invovled with relegation scraps? The old board would most of the time plump for the former when push came to shove, the new board shows signs of the latter. Which is a shame as the New Board has a billionaire at its helm.

Guthrie problem is that he poses no carry threat going forward. If our CMs get it, you know they're going to pass cause they can't run with it like when we had dyer/jenas in the side. Butt can't play as a sitter when in a midfield 2, he needs someone in their to do his running contributing forward as he can't get up or down. This is exacerbated by Guthrie not getting up either, just playing in the middle or deep. Milner can't cross, has little/no off the ball movement and his first touch on the run is generally poor. Geremi can cover RB if he stops diving in. Reminds me when solano filled in their. Nothing great defensively but able to play his way out of trouble. Zoggy's got a good attitude. Did well at LB. Nothing amazing, but good for him. Guti looks quality. I'd like to see him play a little higher up the field, and try a few runs in behind his full back in teh space between CB and FB. Still early days tho. Cacapa needs more belief in himself. He goes in for challenges the same way as Rozehnal used to. As if he's only going in because he knows he should, not because he knows he's gonna batter the ball into the stands at all costs.

They're taking the p*ss!!

I put Spurs slightly ahead of Pompey now. I agree, Spurs are doing very well, I just think traditional "big" clubs like Newcastle, Villa and Everton seem to be stood around doing bugger all, sneering at Redknapp, whilst he puts together a pretty impressive set up. Mmmmmmm not sure about spurs. there main problem for the last few years has been lack of strength,physically,defensivly and i don't see that being remidied. i can see sours going 4-2-3-1 next season but i have no idea who their vital "2" will be. Veloso and/or Albelda are the two high up in the list of options, though wanting them and getting them are two totally different things. That said, with our dealings in this window, I'm reluctant to discount anybody as pie in the sky wishful thinking. See my previous post MJ. Who sits on the bench if a DM is indeed brought in though? The popular guess for the team is Gomes Hutton - King/backup - Woodgate - Bale Veloso/Albelda - Zokora/Jenas Bentley - Modric - Dos Santos Arshavin Villa/Bent/Milito The Lennons/Gilbertos/back up CB's will get a good degree of action, I've no doubt about that, varying on whether we're home or away, the ability of the opposition etc. The most noticeable thing about the pre-season matches so far is the flexibility of the players as they interchange with positions, Bale operating as an attacking LM, Modric sometimes dropping back to holding MF etc etc. Of course it's easy to go over the top about it when you're playing Orient and Norwich but style of play seems to be in place and there are more players to follow. The one thing that is obvious is that Ramos has a clear vision of how he wants his team to play, who he needs to achieve it and Levy (providing the money) and Comolli (convincing the players) are doing the business for Ramos. How's it paid for? Well, nothing is cheap at Spurs, boxes, ST's, etc, £70m+ for Berbatov (when he goes), Keane, the Sunderland 3 and Kaboul, the strict salary structure, they're all contributing to the availability of funds. There's no doubt in my mind that the overdraft will increase but the ITK's are agreed that our accounts won't be showing any worse than any other club. All spurs ITKs are agreed that you're going to be playing 12 in a team this year? Surely that wouldn't be allowed :lol: 12 on the field does help!! I copied/pasted that from a Spurs forum, no one's said a bloody word for the past couple of hours! OK, I accept it there will be problems in fitting them all in! To be fair as the managerial cliche goes, it's a ''nice problem to have''. One which we toon fans with our threadbare squad can only dream about...

F**k being held to ransom!! It's like we think we're special or privileged and should be able to pay the year 2000's fees for the 2008 market's players!! Everyone has to pay the going price for players, or they get nobody (of note). We need to pull our fingers out and pay money for players!! The New Board are Beginning to F*** me OFF!!

I put Spurs slightly ahead of Pompey now. I agree, Spurs are doing very well, I just think traditional "big" clubs like Newcastle, Villa and Everton seem to be stood around doing bugger all, sneering at Redknapp, whilst he puts together a pretty impressive set up. Mmmmmmm not sure about spurs. there main problem for the last few years has been lack of strength,physically,defensivly and i don't see that being remidied. i can see sours going 4-2-3-1 next season but i have no idea who their vital "2" will be. Veloso and/or Albelda are the two high up in the list of options, though wanting them and getting them are two totally different things. That said, with our dealings in this window, I'm reluctant to discount anybody as pie in the sky wishful thinking. See my previous post MJ. Who sits on the bench if a DM is indeed brought in though? The popular guess for the team is Gomes Hutton - King/backup - Woodgate - Bale Veloso/Albelda - Zokora/Jenas Bentley - Modric - Dos Santos Arshavin Villa/Bent/Milito The Lennons/Gilbertos/back up CB's will get a good degree of action, I've no doubt about that, varying on whether we're home or away, the ability of the opposition etc. The most noticeable thing about the pre-season matches so far is the flexibility of the players as they interchange with positions, Bale operating as an attacking LM, Modric sometimes dropping back to holding MF etc etc. Of course it's easy to go over the top about it when you're playing Orient and Norwich but style of play seems to be in place and there are more players to follow. The one thing that is obvious is that Ramos has a clear vision of how he wants his team to play, who he needs to achieve it and Levy (providing the money) and Comolli (convincing the players) are doing the business for Ramos. How's it paid for? Well, nothing is cheap at Spurs, boxes, ST's, etc, £70m+ for Berbatov (when he goes), Keane, the Sunderland 3 and Kaboul, the strict salary structure, they're all contributing to the availability of funds. There's no doubt in my mind that the overdraft will increase but the ITK's are agreed that our accounts won't be showing any worse than any other club. All spurs ITKs are agreed that you're going to be playing 12 in a team this year? Surely that wouldn't be allowed

Welcome back JB!! We need you and it's great to have you here. More of the same from the end of last season, and step it up a notch!!

the biggest. put simply.

Franck Quedrue given a free transfer from Birmingham. Would you take him for free as back up for Enrique? Seems ideal to me. No cost, prem experience, decent back up. http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1780_3823115,00.html For free would you take him?

Jimmy Bullard is S***!! F***'s Sake!

City would be better off forwarding that offer to Zenit st Petersburg and buying a similarly aged but likely more effective player for next season.

Better than Emre's too. Didn't Beye score from a corner this season? Faye against ManU? Was a corner, wasn't it?!?! And Cacapa from a corner

Whilst we were on our unbeaten run nobody said anything bad about barton, or getting rid of him. Now he gets sentenced for something he did BEFORE that run and we all want him out? What a bunch of h8tuz!!

I included Cahill at Everton, but Carsley/Gravesen and Neville also played CM for them last year in a midfield 3. Arteta was wide right so unfair to compare. Same with tainio who spent his season wide left when malbranque didn't play (tainio's poo anyway). I went to the Reading game last season and, from that point onwards JB showed real class. Great passing off the outside of his right foot for Martins was a ball he played with repeated success. His engine is brilliant. I hope we keep him, and we can have this debate at this time next season. I think he'll do well.

Barton or Jenas and Zokora? Personally i'd put JB in there as much as the other 2. Barton or Reo Coker and Petrov (taking it Barry's leaving). I'd have Barton as much as Reo Coker. Barton or Muntari and Diarra. Fair enough he doesn't make it. Barton or Parker and Noble/Mullins (Barton walks in for the latter 2 for me, and i think would do a similar job holding midfield in that better passing, slightly worse tackling). Barton or Cahil/Carlsey/Phil Neville. (I know Carsley's gone, perhaps Gravesen takes Carsley's spot). I'd get Barton in that midfield ahead of Carsley and Phil Neville. Barton or Tugay and Reid (walks in) Barton or Hamann and Elano. (he doesn't get in in the summer, but the winter he shifts Elano). Barton was quality after KK took over and got into the new system. I want him to stay. He's our best CM by a distance. Has the engine to play CM and overlap martins down the left an put crosses in, gets out to the right too and tracks back. He's got a physicality that none of our other CMs have bar butt, an that's only cos butt stays inside 20sq metres of the pitch per game.

Would rather Pavlyuchenko from Russia. Big strong with room to improve. Better eye for goal too

If he does go there i hope he sells Bentley and Santa Cruz to us for 5mil all in. Like i used to use a second team on FM to get great players on the cheap